Cucurbit Genetics Cooperative Report 8:57 (Article 21) 1985
Risser, Georgette and J. C. Rode
Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, 84140 Montfavet, France
In 1979, we reported that staminate flowers have been induced on gynoecious lines of muskmelon by treatment with silver nitrate (Risser & Rode, 1979). So, as in cucumber, use of silver nitrate allows easy selfing of gynoecious lines of melon.
Is silver nitrate having the same effect on monoecious plants? Two trials were performed in 1984: monoecious plants were sprayed with silver nitrate (500 ppm in distillate water) at various vegetative stages. In both trials, perfect flowers appeared 3 weeks after treatments and could be selfed.
So, as the allele a does, silver nitrate induces perfect flowers in the place of female flowers whatever the allele at the other locus g that controls presence or lack of additional male flowers.
Literature Cited
- Risser, G. and J. C. Rode. 1979. Induction par le nitrate d’argent de
fleurs staminees chez des plantes gynoiques de melon (Cucumis melo L.).
Ann. Amelior. Plantes 29:349-352.